Buffer brush



Oct. 21,1958 R. G. cooK, JR., ET AL 2,356,624

BUFFER BRUSH Filed May 17, 1956 5 w 2 MM FUJI a BM H mm 3 i! l T|: 8 2 a 1 :1 w, 3 I it ulzt INVENTOR ROBERT c. COOK, JR.

EUGENE LESAGE awn.

ATTORNEY United States Patent C) BUFFER BRUSH Robert G. Cook, Jr., and Eugene J. Le Sage, Kankakee, Ill., assignors to Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 17, 1956, Serial No. 585,556

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-181) This invention relates to a cylindrical butting brush, and more particularly to a cylindrical buffing brush comprising a plurality of circular brushes arranged longitudinally on a mandrel.

In the production of brushes of the type here under consideration, several ditierent methods have been used to provide a brush having a brushing surface of uniform density which will not leave brush marks in the form of streaks on the article being buffed. In the past this has been accomplished by stapling tufts of bristles to a cylindrical core or by winding a spiral brush on a cylindrical core. The most practical way to produce these brushes from an economical standpoint is to mount a plurality of circular brushes on a mandrel; however, with this arrangement, because of the space between adjacent brushes which of necessity arises from the formation of the individual brush sections, the buffed surface retains certain brush marks. In other words, the surface has a streaked appearance. In order to overcome these brush marks, several attempts have been made to oscillate the brushes longitudinally. This requires rather complicated machinery to oscillate the brush, and a need has been apparent for quite some time for a brush that would be satisfactory for this purpose without oscillating.

The invention disclosed in this application is directed to a cylindrical buffing brush in which the individual circular brushes are mounted on the mandrel at an angle other than 90 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel so that they do not rotate in a plane normal to the axis of the mandrel. In other words, the arrangement is such that the bristled exterior of the brush inscribes an irregular or wabble pattern, thereby eliminating the possibility of streaks. These brushes are an ranged in proper relationship on the mandrel and are then clamped to prevent relative rotation between the individual brushes and the mandrel during operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cylindrical bufiing brush in which the individual circular brushes are mounted in such fashion as to produce an irregular brushing surface during rotation and thereby eliminate the possibility of streaks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cylindrical bufiing brush in which the angularity at which the individual brushes are mounted will be retained due to the clamping arrangement for holding the entire assembly in fixed relationship.

In order that this invention may be more readily understood, it will be described in connection with the attached drawing, in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of one of the individual circular brushes;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the mandrel on which the circular brushes are mounted; and

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the assembly partially in section to show the relative position of the parts.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a conventional "ice circular brush in which the tufts of bristles 2 are mounted in a cylindrical mounting 3. The-cylindrical mounting 3 is crimped between adjacent tufts of bristles, as indicated at 4, which provides the exterior of the cylindrical mounting 3 with an irregular surface which is raised at the area of the tufts and is indented between adjacent tufts. The mandrel shown in Figure 2 is comprised of a mandrel core 5 extending the entire longitudinal length of the brush. At two points disposed 180 apart from one another on the circumference of the mandrel there is a channel 6 machined in the surface of the mandrel. These channels extend for the entire length of the mandrel and are parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the mandrel. Secured to the exterior of the mandrel adjacent the channels 6'are segmental retainers 7 which are fastened to the surface of the mandrel 5 by means of screws 8. The two segmental retainers 7 of each pair do not come into abutting re lationship but are spaced apart from one another, leaving an opening 9 running the entire length of the mandrel. The segmental retainers 7 also have recesses 10 which, in conjunction with the channels 6, form a channel with an opening of rectangular cross-sectional shape through the portion 9 to the exterior. At points 90 from the channel 6, there are provided two spacer rods 11 which are welded to the surface of the mandrel core 5. This arrangement with the two spacer rods 11 diametrically opposed to one another and disposed at 90 from the channels 6 and their attendant segmental retainers 7 provides a system whereby the circular brushes which have an interior diameter slightly in excess of the maximum diameter across the two spacer rods may be placed on the mandrel and have four points of contact. This permits the brush to be placed on the mandrel on a bias with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. This four-point contact arrangement permits the brushes to remain circular during operation and do not become elliptical as occurs if the spacers are not provided.

Figure 2 also shows the studs 12 in position in the channels 6. The heads 13 of the studs are in slideable engagement with the rectangular shaped channel and the shank 14 of the stud extends through the opening 9 I between the two segmental retainers 7. This arrangement provides a plurality of studs arranged longitudinally along the channels 6. The heads of the studs should be slightly less than the'thickness of the brush mounting 3 so that proper clamping action can be effected between the studs and the brushes.

Referring now to Figure 3, the arrangement of the brushes with respect to the studs and the mandrel is shown in which it will be observed that the first brush on the right-hand side engages a stud on the left side of the brush at the top of the mandrel, while the stud diametrically opposed on the bottom side of the mandrel engages the opposite side of the brush. This arrangement is carried out through the entire arrangement of the individual brush units. This determines the bias angle at which the brushes are mounted on the mandrel. The shape of the shank 14 is such as to conform with the indentations 4 occurring on the surface of the brush mounting, permitting the shank to seat itself in the groove. Firm clamping of the entire assembly prevents relative rotation of the individual brushes with respect to the mandrel. In building up the brush of the desired length, the individual brush sections are mounted adjacent the studs, as described in connection with the first brush. When the entire composite brush is made up, a retaining collar 15 is placed on each end of the brush and drawn into tight clamping relationship by means of the nuts 16, which are in threaded engagement with the mandrel core. This assembly clamps the entire arrange Patented Oct. 21, 1958 3 ment in fixed position on the mandrel. Locking set screws other locking means are used to prevent the clamping nuts 16 from becoming loose during operation of the brush.

It will be obvious from the above disclosure that brushes of any desired length can be made up from a standard size circular brush item. This makes possible the production of bufiing brushes of any desired size which can be made up on the spur of the moment without complicated machinery and high cost of manufacture. It will be understood, of course, that the brush should be of a length in excess of the width of the material to 'be buffed so as to permit the irregular ends of the brush to extend beyond the edges of the sheet material to which the bufiing action is applied.

We claim:

In a device of the type described, the elements comprising a cylindr cal mandrel; a plurality of channels arranged on the surface of said mandrel, said channels running in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said mandrel, two of said channels being diametrically opposed to one another; a plurality of supporting ribs mounted on said mandrel with the longi- 4 tudinal axis of each rib disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel, at least two of said ribs being diametrically opposed to one another; a plurality of cylindrical spacer studs retained in sliding relationship in said channels with the shank of the studs extending angularly from said mandrel in a direction normal to the axis of the mandrel; a plurality of circular brushes having an opening therein of a diameter equal to the external diameter of the mandrel and rib assembly, said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kulenkampfi Apr. 24, 1906 Anderson July 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT @JFFMJTE :TFICTE Patent No 2,856,624

Column 3, line 2 after "scram?" insert an or a Signed and sealefi this 131121 day of January 1959 (SEAL) Attest:

KARL ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Ofl'icer Commissioner of Patents 

